THE BLUE AND YELLOW MACCAW. 123 



In common with its tribe, this species, in its 

 native woods, lives chiefly upon fruits and seeds ; 

 and they invariably prefer such as are provided 

 with a hard and shelly covering : these they crack 

 with much dexterity, carefully rejecting the outer 

 coat, and swallowing only the internal nut. 



The colours of this bird are remarkably distincti 

 The whole upper parts, from the base of the upper 

 mandible to the extremity of the tail, including the 

 sides of the head and the upper surface of the wings, 

 are of a bright cobalt blue, with a slight tinge of 

 green, which is more decided on the fore part of the 

 head ; the under parts, from the gula, or throat down- 

 wards, are of a deep chrome yellow, inclining to 

 orange ; the throat is of a dusky black ; the naked 

 cheeks are of a pale rosiate hue, and are marked by 

 three or more transverse lines of minute blackish 

 feathers. The colours in the female are more vivid 

 than in her mate, and the tail is also a little longer 

 in proportion to the size of her body, which is a 

 trifle less than that of the male. 



